In the statement, the mayor says that making, listening, copying, and disclosing the tapes created would be illegal.

However, one of the tapes will be reviewed by an attorney “to confirm how it can be lawfully and promptly turned over to the council.”

Mayor Buttigieg continues his statement, saying, “It is helpful to know that we did not waste everyone's time and money by resisting pressure to do something unlawful. The toughest thing about this situation is that people in the community will remain curious about what is on the tapes. I am curious too. But we cannot violate federal law just to satisfy our curiosity. And we must remember that listening to the tapes would not have completely answered community concerns.”